RUAE Questions - Structures

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Own Word Questions

These are understanding questions and are usually 1/3 of the question paper.

These types of questions test your ability to understand the writer's meaning and put key ideas into your own words. There are five main types of Understanding Questions: identify; explain; summarise; context; link.

Don't waffle when writing these, bullet point using your own words only.

Examples

"What is common to these struggles - and what makes their resolution an urgent matter - is that they all involve the diminishing status of truth. This does not mean that there are no truths. It simply means that we cannot agree on what these truths are, and when there is no consensus about the truth and no way to achieve this consensus, chaos soon follows."

Read lines 9-12.

Explain what the writer believes has happened to the idea of truth. Use your own words as far as possible in your answer.

people's opinions about what the truth is differ/lack of agreement as to what the truth is

this can then lead to people arguing about what the truth is

the truth is considered to be less important than it used to be

"Increasingly, what counts as a fact is merely a view that someone feels to be true - and technology has made it very easy for these 'facts' to circulate with a speed and reach that was unimaginable in the Gutenberg era (or even a decade ago). A dubious story appears in a tabloid one morning and by noon it has flown around the world in social media. This may seem like a small matter, but its consequences are enormous. To pick one example among many, during the November 2015 Paris terror attacks, rumours quickly spread on social media that the Louvre and the Pompidou Centre had been hit, and that the French president had suffered a stroke. Trusted news agencies found it difficult to correct such fake news."

Read lines 13-20.

Explain how the writer's argument about fake news is supported by the example of the Paris attack. Use your own words in your answer.

just as the writer believes that fake news spreads at lightning speed so the news that the French president had a stroke on the morning of the attacks

just as the writer believes it is difficult to ascertain what a fact actually is, so the French newspapers struggled to counter the rumours with the truth

Identify

Tactics:

1. check how many marks the question is worth

2. find one key point per available mark

3. write down the key points in your own words

Example

"Why on Earth should we continue to fund space exploration? It has proven to be nothing but a money-sucking exercise that has resulted in not a shred of excitement since those fellows bounced around on the moon nearly five decades ago. It is dangerous, costly, fundamentaly pointless and in no way serves to improve the lives of people here on this planet, who require support."

Identify four reasons the writer disapproves of funding space exploration.

- it risks people's lives

- it is expensive

- it doesn't achieve anything

- there are people here on Earth who need the money more

Explain

These questions will require slightly more detailed answers than 'identify' questions - you might be asked to explain a process, or a more complex idea.

Tactics:

1. find the key idea in the passage

2. in detail, explain it in your own words

Example

"It's no wonder that teachers are walking out of the profession left, right and centre. The government have created a monster: a vicious cycle that chews teachers up and spits them out. Firstly, they impose such a heavy burden of paperwork that teachers have no time to plan lessons. Then, when lessons start to suffer, the inspectors come and brand the school as 'Inadequate', and demand written evidence of improvement. This leadst to even more paperwork, perpetuating the problem of poor lessons. When is anyone going to see the inevitable crisis this will cause?"

Explain the 'vicious cyce' that the writer claims is affecting teachers and schools. (4)

- the government makes teachers do lots of written work and admin tasks

- this means teachers don't have enough time to make their teaching of a suitable high standard

- so the government gives the schools a bad rating and makes them do more admin to show that they are getting better

- so teaching continues to get worse

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Word Choice Questions

These are analysis questions.

Bullet point the denotations and connotations and provide an explanation whilst remembering the context.

Example

Shoots up:

Denotation - to be projected skyward by a force applied to the underside of an object

Connotation - aiming high, moving at speed, shooting for the stars, reaching great heights

In context the phrase "shoots up" suggests that Sports Scotland wants its sports people to aim high and achieve great things quickly.

Dizzying:

Denotation - unstable

Connotations - uneasy, confused, lost

In context the word choice of "dizzying" shoes that the writer believes that the speed of change is too quick and confusing. They believe that everything is uneasy online and that it is hard to find the truth.

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Tone Questions

Tone is not a technique, a writer never "uses" tone, they create a tone through their literacy techniques. The tone is the feelings of the author.

"The writer creates a (describe tone) through their use of (technique)." Then explain how this creates the tone you have specified.

Example

The statue stood before me, tatty and broken. Its face was grotesque and it certainly wasn't going to win any prizes for beauty.

The writer creates a disgusted tone through their word choice. The word choice of 'grotesque' shows this because it connotates something horrible and ugly. The writer is helping us to imagine how far into disrepair the statue has fallen.

Well, where should I begin? I was born in a hospital, as most people are, and then I had a pretty ordinary childhood.

The writer creates a chatty tone through the use of a rhetorical question. The question "where should I begin?" achieves this tone as the writer is speaking directly to the reader. By including us, the writer is enhancing the idea that the writer had a particularly normal childhood.

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Effective Introduction or Conclusion Question

Things that make a conclusion effective:

the writer moves from the abstract into the concrete

striking imagery or language

cyclical structure

writer's final opinion after debating two sides

summary of all the writer's key points

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Link Questions

In these questions, you are asked to explain how a sentence helps to link or join a writer's points together.

Tactics:

quote the word/phrase from the link sentence that links back to the previous paragraph

summarise the content of the previous paragraph in your own words

quote the word/phrase from the link sentence that links forward to the next paragraph

summarise the content of the next paragraph in your own words

comment on any conjunctions which act as a turning point in the argument

The word/phrase __'A'___ links back to the previous paragraph and the idea of ___'B'___. The word/phrase ___'C'___ links forward to the next paragraph and the idea of ___'D'___. The word 'E' acts as a turning point in the argument.

Example

"Following the Roman invasion in 43 AD, the south of Britain was totally subdued within thrity years; many Britons were sold as slaves and the land was covered with Roman roads and towns. Soon, south Britain was to be a complete Roman province, the townsmen speaking Latin and building for themselves those comfortable Roman houses with central heating. A Roman temple to the god Mithras has been excavated in the heart of London.

But, unlike their easy victory in the south, the north of the country resisted the foreign invaders. Here the Romans were never able to do more than hold down the natives for short periods. There were no Roman towns, no country house, no temples, only forts and camps where soldiers lived for a time."

How does the underlined sentence act as a link in the argument?

'Easy victory in the south' links back to the idea of the Romans' quick transformation of Southern Britain which is discussed in the previous paragraph. 'The north of the country resisted' links forward to the idea of how little the Romans were able to achieve in the north, which is discussed in the next paragraph. The word 'but' acts as a turning point in this argument.

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Context Questions

You will be asked to work out the meaning of a word from the context, and exmplain how you did so. You must explain, even if you knew the word already.

Tactics:

explain what the word means

quote the words or expressions from the extract that helped you understand the meaning

explain how the meaning of the quoted words or expressions helped you to work it out

Example

"When the dodo died, the animal was stuffed and sold to the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. Taxidermy not being what it is today, over the next few decades the dodo slowly rotted utnil it was thrown out in 1755. All, that is, except the moth-eaten head and one leg."

Explain how the context helps you to understand the meaning of 'taxidermy'? (2)

Taxidermy means the preservation of an animal's body/fur after it's dead.

The phrases 'the animal was stuffed' and 'it slowly rotted' make this clear because the writer is explaining that the dodo was not properly preserved because the taxidermy wasn't as good then as it is now.

"In seventeenth century Scotland, the Jacobites were causing unrest and discord throughout the region: they were inciting hatred towards the English King and demanding a Stewart monarch return to the throne."

Exaplin how the context helps you understand the underlined word. (2)

Discord means conflict. The words 'unrest' and 'inciting hatred' make this clear because the writer explains that the Jacobites wanted a Scottish King.

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Final RUAE Question

This final questions always asks either:

key areas of agreement between the 2 passages

key areas of disagreement between the 2 passages

key areas of both agreement and disagreement between the 2 passages

Follow these steps:

key idea in my own words

writer one says: evidence (quote or paraphrase) from passage one

comment on the evidence

writer two says: evidence (quote or paraphrase) from passage two

comment on that evidence

and do this 3 times.

2016 Past Paper

Attitude to supermarkets

Writer one says: "soulless behemoth" or "voracious tyrant"

This writer is highly critical of them.

Writer two says: "I love Tesco"

This writer thinks they are fantastic.

The shopping experience in supermarkets

Writer one says: "exhausting"

They think these places are so huge it is very tiring to get round them - the experience of being in a supermarket is unpleasant.

Writer two says: "I love the lights and rush and exhilaration."

This writer finds the experience exciting, bright and joyful

Alternatives to supermarkets

Writer one says: "wasteful offers are easier to resist"

Other places are a better choice because you buy what you actually need.

Writer two says: "tramp from shop to shop"

Alternatives to supermarkets are inconvenient.

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Practice Questions

Tone Questions

The day had gone brilliantly. I crashed my car in the morning, got sacked by an unsympathetic boss for being late and found my wife kissing my best friend in the living room, when I returned home early from what use to be my work.

Describe the tone and explain how it is created. (3)

-Creates a sarcastic tone through word choice, list of bad things but positive words

I am fed up listening to scaremongers about the E-coli virus, telling me my child should never visit a farm or come into contact with animals. I am weary of organisations that are dedicated to promulgating the idea that threats and dangers to children lurk everywhere. I am sick of charities who on the one hand attack overprotective parents and at the same time say children should never be left unsupervised in public places.

How does the writer's tone help convey her strength of feeling about the subject she is writing about? (3)

-Irritated through the use of parallelism (parallel structure - repeated grammatical structure)

I couldn't believe the cheek of the boy, sitting there with his smug, self-satisfied face and his stupid, malformed ears glowing with pride.

Comment on the writer's tone in these lines (2)

Mocking - smug, self-satisfied, stupid

Walking through the rain, I thought wistfully about how I would feel when I eventually got home and managed to change out of my sodden clothes. As grim darkness descended mercilessly upon me, I hoped for a full moon, to illuminate my way along the dull pathway.

What is the tone of the writer in these lines and how is it created? (3)

The writer creates a longing tone through their use of word choice. The word "wistfully" shows how much they want to be home and changed. They can't wait to be comfortable and inside. However, it creates a saddened feeling as that is all that they long for, to be inside and dry, very little things that we take for granted. The word choice of "hoped" also shows that they long for the moon to appear so they can feel safer. These words create a contrast to the dark picture being created by the description of the "grim, darkness" around them.

Ultimately we must ask ourselves whether we find the risk of future impact to be sufficiently great to merit doing something to avoid it. Many dangers posed by living in a modern technological society are far more likely to cost us out lives, but that is not the point. Rare comet or asteroid impacts may cost all of us our lives. So how will the threat of comets and asteroids fit into our thinking? We can only answer the question after we have learned a great deal more about the nature of the danger.

What is the writer's tone in these lines and how is it created. (2)

The writer creates a serious and pessimistic tone through their use of repetition about death. The writer uses very similar sentences of "cost us our lives," and "cost all of us our lives." These are both very negative as they are talking about the end of the human race by two different situations. They are saying that we will all die due to a world wide issue, such as technology advances or rubble from space.

Final Comparison Question

Key points where the two passages disagree.

The two writers disagree on the mental impact of video games.

In passage one, Steven Johnson says that "games force you to analyse, to choose, to prioritise, to decide." This shows that he believes games help you look at problems and come up with a quick and effective solution.

In passage two, Boris Johnson disagrees by saying that "those machines teach them nothing." This shows that he believes that video games have no helpful mental impact on children and that they are a waste of time.

The two writers also disagree on the importance of books.

In passage one, Steven Johnson says that "popular culture steadily... making our brains sharper as we soak in entertainment usually dismissed." This shows that he thinks that whilst books are important, we also need to use other ways of entertainment to help us learn.

In passage two, Boris Johnson disagrees and says that in order to be able to talk about your ideas "you haven't a hope.. if you haven't read enough." This shows that he doesn't believe games help at all and that to be able to use the English language you have to read and not use other formats to help.

Link Questions

"The National Health Service in the UK is the envy of much of the developed world. it is, of course, available to all and free of charge, a glorious achievement.

However, with every victory there is also a price to pay. And with the NHS, this price is a staggeringly large one."

Explain how the underlined sentence helps to link the writer's argument at this point. (2)

"Many people argue that the education system these days is broken. Exams are too easy. Pupils are spoon-fed.

But my experience in a local high school this year showed me that though there is cause for concern, there is also much to celebrate. Pupils are happier, healthier adn more valued than ever before."

Explain how the underlined sentence helps to link the writer's argument at this point. (2)

"There are many excdellent reasons to go to Egypt on holiday: the sun, the history, and the culture are but a few.

However, despite the many attractions of the destination, there are also dangers. Tourists face threats from terrorism and the unstable government, as well as typical threats such as muggers and thieves."

Explain how the underlined sentence helps to link the writer's argument at this point. (2)

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Imagery Questions

Tactics:

quote the image and explain what is being compared to what

state what type of image it is (simile, metaphor, personification, etc.)

give the literal root of the image. explain what the two things have in common and what the writer was trying to say by comparing them (just as... so too.... OR literally.... figuratively....)

link back to question

If a question is worth 2 marks, you will need to do this once; if a questions is worth four marks, you will need to do this twice.

Example

"To me, vegetarianism is not a conscious choice: it is like breathing. I couldn't eat meat on a normal day any more than I could choose to fly to work. It's not like I think meat-eaters are monsters. They are simply uneducated, like toddlers at nursery who think it is a good idea to eat crayons or sand."

Explain how the writer's use of imagery in this conveys her passion about vegetarianism. (2)

The writer uses the simile to say vegetarianism is 'like breathing'. Just asbreathing is an unconscious part of everyday life, so too does this suggest that vegetarianism is an essential, fundamental part of her life. This conveys her passion.

OR

The writer uses the simile to say non-vegetarians are 'like toddlers' who 'eat sand'. Just as toddlers are immature and don't know what is good for them, so too does this suggest that eating meat is immature and silly. This conveys her passion for vegetarianism by suggesting it is the sensible, mature choice made by rational thinkers.

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Sentence Structure Questions

Tactics:

quote the technique, or give a line reference if quotation is too long

identify the technique used

comment on its effect

link back to question

repeat for every two marks on offer

If commenting on a list or parenthesis, you must explain what is in the list or in the parenthesis.

List Example

"It is clear that in today's society, the media have too much access to our personal information. They pry into every nook and cranny of our personal lives, grabbing onto our intimate details with grubby fingers and gleeful expressions. They can read out emails, hack into our phone calls, peer into our text messages, photograph our cars and streets, access our addresses and record our medical details. What next? Our DNA? Samples of our blood? When do we stand up and say enough's enough, and that the government simply has too much information."

Explain how the writer's use of sentence structure conveys her attitude towards the government's actions. (2)

Lines 5-7 has a list of all the types of information the government can currently access about us. The list emphasises the number and variety of different areas the government accesses and ways in which our privacy is invaded. This conveys the writer's angry and indignant attitude towards the government's actions, which she feels are overly intrusive.

"Why do I believe that marriage is an outdated concept? Well, it's simple really. Let's start with the father giving away the bride. Why should I be given away? Why can't I belong to myself? Why must we hark back to the times when women were the property of men, whether it be their fathers or their husbands? Next, there's the issue of the vows. Even with the 'obey' caveat taken out, as many do, why must be vow to honour each other? And that's not to mention the plethora of outdated hymns, prayers, speeches, dances, traditions and symbols which accompany the so-called "modern-day" weddings. And don't get me started on wearing white."

Explain how the writer's use of sentence structure conveys her attitude towards marriage. (2)

Lines 7-8 have a list of many things the writer feels are archiac and out-of-date regarding marriage. The list emphasises the number and variety of different problems she has with marriage as an institution. This conveys the writer's dismissive attitude towards marriage, which she feels is no longer relevant to us or society.

Parenthesis Examples

"Why, exactly, do our English teachers force us to read the works of William Shakespeare, a playwright long-dead, when there are living, breathing, interesting authors form our own modern-day society whose works are more relatable to our own lives?"

Explain how the writer's use of sentence structure conveys his attitude towards studying Shakespeare. (2)

In line 2, there are parenthesis around the phrase 'a playwright long-dead'. This adds the additional information that Shakespeare is no longer alive. This emphasises the writer's disdainful attitude towards studying the author, who he thinks is no longer relevant because he lived so long ago.

"Another interesting fact about Henry VIII is that, despite popular opinion, he was not always an angry, overweight, wife-killing despot. Indeed, in his earlier years, this Tudor king was reported to be generous, friendly, sporting and athletic."

Explain how the writer's use of sentence structure conveys his ideas about Henry VIII. (2)

In line 2, there are parenthesis around the phrase 'despite popular opinion'. This adds the additional information that the view of Henry VIII described later in the sentence (as fat and vengeful) is a common but incorrect view. This emphasises the writer's point that there is more to Henry VIII than many think; assumptions about him are wrong.

Colons

When analysing the function of a colon, it is not enough to simply state that 'it introduces a list' or 'it introduces an expansion'. You also need to explain, in your own words, what is in the list or in the expansion, and what effect it has on the reader.

Examples

"There are countless problems with fracking: it requires a great deal of water, which is environmentally damaging to transport; it is expensive; it can cause earthquake tremors and it is unreliable."

The colon after 'fracking' introduces a list of all the disadvantages of fracking. This list emphasises the number and variety of different issues the writer has with fracking, conveying her disapproval of it.

"The house was a disaster: it looked like it was about to fall down at any moment."

The colon after 'disaster' introduces an expansion of why the house was such a nightmare. This expansion adds the additional information that the building was dilapidated and looked like it needed repairs.

"Harry felt like crying: Rangers had lost again."

The colon after 'crying' introduces an explanation of why Harry was so upset. The explanation is that his football team (Rangers) has been defeated.

Patterns in Sentences

Repetition - a writer can choose to repeat individual words or whole phrases. Sometimes a writer might repeat a certain structure. Usually repetition will serve to emphasise something.

Examples

"I am wholly committed, wholly determined and wholly devoted to fighting for Scottish Independence."

Here, the repetition of the word 'wholly' emphasises the speaker's total and complete dedication to achieving Scottish Independence.

"He studied every clue, scrutinised every detail, considered every point and examined every facet."

Here, the repeated structure of '[verb] every [noun]' emphasises how thorough and complete his investigation was. The word 'ever' is repeated to emphasise the fact that he looked into all details.

Climax - a sentence or paragraph can build to a climax. Usually this will serve to emphasise the final word or idea, possibly creating a dramatic effect.

Example

"For twenty years he had scrimped and saved every penny, every farthing, every cent - and now, at last, the day had come; he was going to get it - his very own Bugatti Veyron."

The sentence builds up to a climax after the dash with 'his very own Bugatti Veyron.' This emphasises how long the man has been waiting and how excited he is to get the car.

Inversion

This is when a writer inverts or changes the normal order of a sentence. This type of sentence structure pattern makes the speaker sound a little like Yoda.

Examples

"I went down into the cave."

Down into the caves I went.

"Albert was terrified."

Terrified, Albert was.

In each case here, the inversion emphasises the first word. In the first sentence, this creates a dramatic impact on the reader by emphasising the word 'down',making the journey seem more scary. In the second sentence, this emphasises the word 'terrified' by placing it first, reinforcing Albert's sense of fear.